Allowances in excess of €50,000 for over 30 TDs

THIRTY TDs claimed allowances of more than €50,000 for travel and other expenses between the general election in February 2011 and the end of the year.

More than €6 million was paid in parliamentary standard allowance payments to 165 of the 166 TDs. The only exclusion is the Labour deputy for Dublin South West Eamon Maloney who decided on election that he would claim no allowances.

The Oireachtas published the updated figures for 2011 on its website last night. The vast majority of those who have received the highest payments live the furthest from Dublin and also submitted receipts for bills incurred in running their offices.

The highest individual payment went to Cork South West Fine Gael TD Noel Harrington who received €53,714. Mr Harrington is the only TD whose residence is in Band 12, the band representing the furthest distance from Leinster House. Two deputies claimed expenses of €52,447. They were Mr Harrington’s constituency colleague Jim Daly (Fine Gael) and Sinn Féin’s Kerry North TD Martin Ferris, both of whom claimed vouched expenses for Band 10.

Ministers and Ministers of State, including the Ceann Comhairle, receive a reduced allowance as they are entitled to separate ministerial expenses. The rate for most Ministers was slightly over €10,000 for Dublin-based Ministers, rising to almost €20,000 for those based furthest away from the capital.

The highest repayment was made by Dublin South deputy Shane Ross. He repaid €12,048 of the €31,865 claimed in the end-of-year reconciliation process.

The standard allowance paid to TDs is divided into travel and accommodation as well as a public representation expense.

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The latter, which can be vouched or without an invoice, covers office expenses such as rent, insurance and cleaning, telephone bills, printing and distribution of leaflets.

The travel and accommodation allowance covers the costs of travel to Dublin as well as around the constituency. Members must attend a minimum of 120 days annually to receive full payment of the allowance.

The annual travel amounts range from €12,000 for Dublin-based deputies to €37,850 for those living 360km (224 miles) or more from Leinster House.

The public representation allowance is paid in addition to that sum and has run to €15,000 for some deputies.